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Leyland hoping Peralta can help spark offense

Leyland hoping Peralta can help spark offense

10/6/13: Tigers manager Jim Leyland says the team isn't pressing and will start Jhonny Peralta in Game 3, airing on MLB Network

By Bobby Nightengale
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MLB.com |

DETROIT -- With the Tigers' offense stalled, scoring zero runs over the last 17 innings, manager Jim Leyland is hoping Jhonny Peralta can give the team a boost. Peralta will start in left field in Game 3 of the American League Division Series against the A's on Monday (1 p.m. ET, MLB Network).

After a three-run first inning in Game 1, the Tigers are 10-for-58 (.172) with no extra-base hits and 16 strikeouts.

"I'm going to play Peralta tomorrow," Leyland said Sunday, "maybe to try to get another extra base ‑‑ a bat in the lineup, because we've got to try to score some runs, obviously."

Peralta will be playing in his first game at Comerica Park following his 50-game suspension due to his involvement in the Biogenesis investigation. In his only at-bat of the postseason, Peralta pinch-hit in the ninth inning during Game 1, and hit a flyout to right.

Peralta made three starts in the final regular-season series against the Marlins, going 3-for-12 with a double and an RBI. Those three games are also the shortstop-turned-left fielder's only defensive game experience in the outfield.

"You're still taking a little bit of a chance, because, defensively, you don't know what's going to happen," Leyland said. "But there comes a point where you might have to give up something to get something. So I'm just hoping that maybe he can knock in a couple of runs and we can get a lead and maybe get him out of there later in the game."

Peralta is 1-for-9 against A's starter Jarrod Parker in his career with two walks and two strikeouts. Although fellow left fielder Andy Dirks has a better track record against Parker, 3-for-11 with two strikeouts, Dirks has just one hit in his last 18 at-bats over his last six games.

Leyland said he's hoping Peralta can make a similar impact to Oakland's Seth Smith, who was inserted into the lineup for Game 2 and went 2-for-4.

"I thought it was a good move [by Oakland]," Leyland said. "We're going to slip Peralta in there tomorrow and hope that maybe we can get the same kind of results."

Bobby Nightengale is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.